Prayagraj: Regarding Mahakumbh-2025, Yogi government is engaged on war footing in rejuvenating the pilgrimages of Prayagraj. The state government has announced a huge budget to give the devotees a divine darshan of the grandeur and newness of Kumbhnagar. Akshayvat has great mythological importance. According to the belief, one gets the fruits of the bath only after seeing this 300 year old tree after taking the Sangam bath. That is why the devotees and saints coming to Tirtharaj go to see this Akshayavat after taking bath in the Sangam. Only after which their beliefs are fulfilled. After taking stock of the government’s ambitious Akshayavat Corridor beautification scheme, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given instructions to speed up its work. This place will be a major center of faith for the devotees coming here during Mahakumbh.
Akshayvat is also mentioned in the travelogues of Ramayana, Raghuvansh and Hieun Tsang. As soon as Lord Shri Ram reached the ashram of Bhardwaj Muni in Sangamnagar while going to the forest, the Muni told him the importance of the banyan tree. According to belief, Mother Sita had blessed the banyan tree. At the time of the cataclysm, when the earth sank, a banyan tree survived, which we know as Akshayvat. Akshaya Vat has also been mentioned in the Raghuvansh of great poet Kalidas and the travelogue of Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang. It is said that just by seeing Akshayavat one attains Akshay virtue. There are four ancient banyan trees considered in India. Akshayavat- Prayagraj, Griddhavat- Soron ‘Sukarkshetra’, Siddhavat- Ujjain and Vanshivat- Vrindavan are included.
Ban during Mughal period
Akshayvat is situated in Akbar’s fort on the banks of Yamuna. There was a ban on its darshan during the Mughal period. During the British period and even in independent India, seeing the tree was rare due to the fort being under the control of the army.
Yogi government had opened the way for darshan for common people
In 2018, the Yogi government had opened Akshayvat to the common people for darshan and worship. Many development projects have been approved by the Yogi government for pilgrimages of mythological importance. Corridor work is also going on here.
Even after cutting and burning, the banyan tree would return to its original form.
Famous saint and head of Shri Ram Janaki Mahal, Swami Dilip Das Tyagi, who reached Prayagraj from Ayodhya, said that various methods were adopted during the Mughal period to end the existence of Akshaya Vat. He was cut and burnt dozens of times, but those who did so were unsuccessful. After a few months of cutting and burning, Akshayavat would return to its original form.
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He said that the beautification and development work started by the Yogi government regarding Akshayvat is welcome. After taking Sangam bath in Maha Kumbh, devotees will get virtue by seeing it.
